Of the Dawn of Freedom Essay

In “Of the Dawn of Freedom. ” writer W. B. Du Bois ( 1903 ) points out the historical footing for the continuity of racism as a job. Written about three decennaries after the civil war. the text is addressed to both Afro-american and White people who comfort themselves with the semblance that the granting of the right of right to vote to African-Americans immediately solved the jobs of inequality.

This is apparent in how Du Bois illustrates that contrary to popular perceptual experience. the Civil War did non wholly lead to the emancipation of African-Americans and that the subsequent “Negro right to vote ended a civil war by get downing a race feud” ( 34 ) wherein African-Americans became the topic of disdain of Southern White populations who fought against the abolishment of bondage. Indeed. Du Bois’ observations accurately mirror the state of affairs of African-Americans until today. Clearly. African americans are still subjected to deeply-held stereotypes that consistently degrade and corrupt them on the footing of what Du Bois calls “the color-line. ( 9 )

Despite the abolishment of bondage. African americans continued to be socially-marginalized. Consequently. African-American’s state of affairs as “a segregated servile caste” ( 37 ) after bondage was abolished merely resulted in the formation of a dual consciousness or an individuality confusion owing to the deficiency of their clear function in society and their disaffection from the dominant White civilization. In consequence. the abolishment of bondage besides uprooted both African-Americans and White Americans from the imposts and clear norms that arose from centuries of bondage.

Without the word pictures of the slave order. African-Americans found it hard to set up their individuality particularly as the White Americans did non desire to suit the ex-slaves into the creases of society. It is hence non surprising that African-Americans continue to be subjected to racist perceptual experiences. As Du Bois justly points out. the freedom of the Black Americans was immature in so far as the Whites regarded them non as their peers but looked patronizingly at the newly-freed Black people as their inferiors and “helpless wards. ” ( 34 )